Machine for turning somersaults.



No. 789,720. PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

0. 0. DEAN.

MACHINE FOR TURNING SOMERSAULTS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10 1905.

670 7514 Offlewnn wit messes IINTTED STATES Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT EETcE.

MACHINE FOR TURNING SOIVIERSAULTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,720, dated May 16,1905.

Application filed February 10, 1905. Serial No. 245,121.

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON O. DEAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ivanhoe, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for TurningSomersaults; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mechanicalapparatus for causing objects to turn somersaults, and comprises aswinging beam which is pivoted at its upper end and is adapted to holdthe object which is to turn the somersault upon a prop which whenremoved will allow the beam to swing down to a substantiallyperpendicular position and stopping gradually to allow the mechanism andthe object carried thereby to make a complete turn or somersault beforestriking the ground or floor.

The invention consists, further, in various details of construction andin combinations and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafterfully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, withthe letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisapplication, and in which drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of myapparatus shown as adjusted for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailperspective view showing the apparatus which is attached to the objector objects to which it is desired to impart a movement to cause the sameto turn a somersault. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing themanner in which the swinging bar engages the apparatus which is fastenedto the object to be turned, and Fig. 4c is an enlarged detail viewshowing the parts illustrated in Fig. '2 disconnected.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, Adesignates poles, one of which is shown in the drawings, and whichsupport a cross-piece A.

B designates a swinging beam, which is pivotally mounted at B upon a pinor bolt carried by ears B mounted upon the cross-piece A. The free endof said beam is rounded off, as at B and C C designate delivery-bars,the ends of which are shown clearly in Fig. 4 of the d rawin gs, whichbars are securely fastened, by means of bolts (1 upon the beam B andsecurely braced by the bar C.

E designates a platform which is mounted upon the strips E, which arecountersunk in a recess F in the ground or floor of a building, and Gdesignates a raised portion of the platform, against the edge of whichthe rounded portion B of the beam Bis adapted to contact to limit itsthrow in one direction.

In the drawings I have shown my device as applied to apparatus forcausing a team of horses and an automobile to turn somersaults, and inwhich apparatus a harness O is provided, which is securely strappedabout the animals in any suitable manner in order to securely hold saidapparatus to the animals, and to the saddle O of the harness is secureda spring-board Q, which is braced by strips Q on either side thereof,the upper ends of the strips Q being fastened to the plates Q which areupon edge, and which plates Q are provided for the purpose of protectingthe animals in the event of the horses and automobile striking upsidedown, which would be a remote contingency under ordinary conditions ifthe apparatus is properly operated. Fixed to said spring-board Q are theangled plates N and N, the lower flanged portions of which are boltedsecurely to said board, and the shank portions of the plates arefastened together in any suitable manner. The upper end of the plate Nis recessed away, as at N forming a right-angled notch, as clearly shownin the enlarged view Fig. 4: of the drawings. Antifriction-wheels N 3are mounted upon a pin N, which passes through the upper portion of theplate N said antifrietion-rollers being adapted to ride upon the curvedplates K,

which are fastened to the ends of the bars C, as shown clearly in Figs.3 and 4 of the drawings. Said plates K, it will be observed, are spacedapart, allowing a sufficient space for the plate N to move freelytherein. A pin P to limit the swinging movement of the apparatus whichcarries the horses and automobile.

1 designates a prop pivotally mounted at I upon the plate J, and J is arope with a counterbalanced weight J 2 secured thereto.

In operation the spring-board and harness fastened thereto being firstadjusted to the seat of the automobile and to the horses, respectively,the swinging beam is raised to the position shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings and held in such position by means of the prop I. When it isready to operate the apparatus, the prop is suddenly removed by throwingthe weight, which will cause the prop to spring from under the beam B,and the heavy weight of the automobile, with the horses, will cause thebeam to quickly fall by gravity to the po sition shown by solid lines inFig. 1. Said beam suddenly coming to a standstill, the momentum impartedto the animals and automobile will cause the antifriction-rollcrs N toroll upon the concaved upper surfaces of the plates K, said plate Nbeing prevented from leaving the plates K by means of the pin P. As thewheels N reach the extreme outer ends of the curved plates K theheavyweight of the horses and the automobile will be given an upwardthrow, causing the animals and the automobile to turn a completesomersault and landing right-side up, in the manner shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings.

In the event of the apparatus, which is secured to the automobile and tothe saddles of the harnesses, landing upside down the weight coming uponthe plates Q will break the force of the fall, as will be readilyunderstood.

Having thus'fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mechanical apparatus for causing an object toturnasomersaultcomprisingaswinging beam pivoted at its upper end, a stopto limit the throw of said beam in one direction, means for supportingthe free end of said beam, delivery-bars secured to said beam, a pincarried by said bars, curved tracks spaced apart and fastened to saidbars, a springboard, plates secured thereto, one of which is notched,antifriction-wheels carried by said notched plate, the shank portion ofsaid notched plate adapted to enter the space between said curved tracksupon the deliverybars and said antifriction-wheels adapted to travelupon the concaved portions of said tracks, and means for fastening anobject to said spring-board, as set forth.

2. A mechanical apparatus for causing an object to turn a somersaultcomprising a swinging beam pivoted at its upper end, a stop to limit thethrow of said beam in one direction, means for supporting the free endof said beam, delivery-bars secured to said beam, a pin carried by saidbars, curved tracks spaced apart and fastened to said bars, aspringboard, plates secured thereto, one of which is notched,antifriction-wheels carried by said notched plate, the shank portion ofsaid notched plate adapted to enter the space between said curved tracksupon the deliverybars and said antifriction-wheels adapted to travelupon the concaved portions of said tracks, means for fastening an objectto said spring-board, and plates fixed to one face of said spring-boardand securely braced and designed to break the force of the fall of theobject in the event of the same landing upside down, as set forth.

3. Amechanical apparatus for causing an object to turn asomersaultcomprising a swinging beam pivoted at its upper end, a stop tolimit the throw of said beam in one direction, means for supporting thefree end of said beam, delivery-bars secured to said beam, a pin carriedby said bars, curved tracks spaced apart and fastened to said bars, aspringboard, plates secured thereto, one of which is notched,antifriction-wheels carried by said notched plate, the shank portion ofsaid notched plate adapted to enter the space between said curved tracksupon the deliverybars and said antifriction-wheels adapted to travelupon the concaved portions of' said tracks, and harness apparatussecured to said spring-board, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CLAYTON C. DEAN.

Witnesses:

RUTH D. WELLs, ELLA SMITH.

